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Kalyn's Best Meatloaf Recipe

I'm posting the recipe for a meatloaf I've been making for years at the request of a friend who once ate this at my house. The name "Kalyn's Best Meatloaf" was given to it by my sister Pam, who submitted it as a favorite when her school made a faculty cookbook. The amounts given make two loaves, and it's a favorite with everyone in my family. Be open-minded about the mushroom soup and the Lipton onion soup mix and give this recipe a try if you like meatloaf at all. Although I am cooking with more fresh ingredients and less packaged foods now, this recipe is one I might still use whenever I want to make really flavorful meatloaf.

I cook the meatloaf on a broiler pan so that the fat runs out and the loaf is crispy on the outside.

Take ground beef and sausage out of the refrigerator and put it in a bowl and allow to come to room temperature. Preheat oven to 375 F.

In food processor, blend onion soup to grind up onion pieces, then add bread crumbs and buzz a few times so bread is in small particles.

Add bread crumb/onion soup mixture, mushroom soup, egg, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to bowl containing the meat and mix together by squeezing with your hands so all ingredients are well combined. Shape into two loaves and bake about 1 hour, or until instant read meat thermometer reaches at least 170.

This freezes very well. If you have any leftover brown gravy in your freezer, it 's great over the meatloaf.

South Beach Suggestions:
I created this recipe long before I ever heard of the South Beach diet, and nowdays I rarely use ingredients like Lipton Onion Soup and canned mushroom soup. Still, this is a pretty family friendly recipe, and I think you could eat it once in a while for phase 2 or 3 of the diet.

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Heavens, please don't apologize for meatloaf! My bookmark list includes a special folder just for meatloaf, right along with there with goulash, lasagna, pot roast and pad thai! PS Love the lower-carb tips. Alanna

I LOVE meatloaf. This looks great. Looks perfect. Reading your recipe, it sounds similar to one I have used and liked. I even have a meatloaf cookbook. Have to admit we do put ketchup on ours and even strips of bacon on the top. Will definitely try your recipe. Thanks!

AAAiiiieee !!! Just for grins & giggles, head out to the trash and dig up the package and the can to see what the sodium total is. I'm guessing around 3000 mg. I thought you liked me! You're going to kill with sodium levels like that.Waaaah.

A standard loaf, that fits in a standard loaf pan, like for bread, feeds 3 of us, once. Maybe a slice for 1 little sammich on the leftover side. Heh.10 Servings. I got that out of an 18 pound turkey and a 7 pound duck for Thnaksgiving.I can't imagine serving a 1 or 2 mm slice on meatloaf.I'll do the 2 lb loaf with mashed taters rubbed over all and baked till crispy, golden brown, for 3 people, 4 if I stretch it.Oh great, now I need to do one. Cripes. Sigh, okay, I can handle it.

Biggles, I kid you not. I made two loaves, and each one was about 6 slices, but I don't count the tiny little end slices as a whole serving. One slice of meat loaf about an inch wide is a serving for me. Maybe your family are bigger meat eaters (joke). (For those who don't know, Biggles blog is called Meathenge.) For me, I would eat one piece. (Remember, when figuring nutritional amounts, a piece of meat the size of a deck of cards is considered a serving. Trust me, I teach about this stuff.)

OKay, trying to use my meat riddled mind here. Let's see, 1 loaf. 1 loaf would yield maybe 4 portions and using math, that would be 8 portions for 2 loaves. At this point, consider 2 portions my portion, which would be 1/2 loaf, on 1 loaf, there.By 1 portion that includes all helpings, which in my definition would be 2. That much sodium stil makes my mouth smack.I grew up on Campbells and packaged love. Wish I could continue. But, the Dr. still asks me to limit, I stick to creme fraiche instead of the Campbells.

Kayln- MEat loaf is nothing to be ashamed of. I actually love it but avoid it due to the calorie bomb it usually represents. But your recipe sounds delish without adding 5 lbs to the waitline. I'm definately going to give this a shot.

I don't mind if people don't like my recipes. It's a big internet, and they can just go to the next blog. But when people leave rude comments, and then don't sign their name so I can respond, I will delete the comment as I did to the one above.

Kalyn, This is great I've made it a few times now and have started to experiment a bit and make it my own. Lately I've been sustituting a can of tomato paste and some basil instead of the cream of mushroom soup for a more italian flavor. Thanks.-Rebecca

Here's a very helpful hint, since I'm on Phase 1 again of the SoBe Diet, I substituted Chicharrones (Pork Cracklins/Rinds) instead of the bread crumbs. They usually have 0 carbs & the pork flavor complements the pork meat. However, it's high in sodium & fat -- so if someone uses them they may not have to add much salt to taste & they would need to make sure to use the leanest cut ground beef & pork they can find.

Kalyn,I have been looking for years for a great meatloaf recipe. Well, thank you! I have finally found it! My picky husband loved it, too! He doesn't like mushrooms so I didn't tell him what was in it :). We had 8 generous servings between us and my adult son who eats a lot. Thanks!!

Is there any way to substitute tha cream of mushroom soup with one of the cream of....soups that are all over Pinterest. This is one of my fave recipes on your blog, but I'm with you we don't use the fake soups or onion soups any longer.

~Kristi, I'm guessing it would work, although I haven't tried it that way. Most of the mushroom soups I've seen have other ingredients I don't want, but maybe I should look harder for one and try to adapt this! Let me know if you try it; would love to hear how it turns out!

I just made this into foil packet dinners and it was FABULOUS!! I added fresh, sliced mushrooms and it was a hit. I put holes into the bottom of the foil packets and baked it on a rack to allow the extra fat to drain. We loved it. On another note.... Can I just say Holy Ziplist Batman (or Kalyn in this case). I just discovered this feature on your blog and it will simplify and change my life. Thanks!!

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